Macau Court upholds admissibility of evidence against Alvin Chau

Chau had tried to challenge the admissibility of evidence presented by the prosecution.

Macau.- Macau’s intermediate court has upheld the validity of evidence presented in the trial of Alvin Chau Cheok Wa, the former CEO of Suncity (now LET Group Holdings Ltd). Judge Chan Kuong Seng dismissed the defendant’s challenge to the admissibility of the evidence, thus maintaining its weight in the case. 

Chau had questioned the prosecution’s use of excerpts from a phone call, which were originally used in an unrelated case that did not involve him. He also raised concerns about the reading of interrogation transcripts in court, particularly when the suspects were absent. These objections were made by Chau and some of his co-defendants during the initial stages of the trial.

As a consequence of his appeals, Chau has been ordered to pay over MOP15,000 (US$1,863) in associated costs. The ruling follows Chau’s conviction in January, when the Macau Court of First Instance, chaired by Judge Lou Ieng Ha, sentenced Alvin Chau Cheok Wa to 18 years in prison. 

Chau, together with other 20 people, was indicted for leading a criminal group, providing illegal gambling at licenced establishments and making illegal online and proxy bets. This week, a court decided to auction 36 properties belonging to Chau. The properties will be put up for auction on September 12, with a reserve price nearing MOP600m (US$74.3m).

The majority of the properties consist of parking spaces, while the remaining are commercial units. The auction will not be conducted in a public format, according to information presented by the court.